Human Rights Specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights, capacity development and the empowerment of women.

We invite applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill the position below:

Background
The nexus of security-humanitarian-development issues around Lake Chad has given rise to an intractable extremist insurgency that has left tens of thousands of people dead, approximately 2.5 million displaced, and more than 10 million people in the region affected and in need. While robust national and multi-national military operations have re-taken territory previously controlled by Boko Haram, UNDP recognizes that a new approach is required to consolidate these gains and establish the conditions necessary to transition from military to civilian responsibility for security, and from the provision of humanitarian assistance to the resumption of stalled development processes.

The Stabilisation Facility, among other key interventions, provides technical assistance to the state institutions aimed on strengthening their capacities to promote Human Right Based Approach (HRBA), democratic and transparency principles into their practice. In this context, the UNDP is strengthening its presence in North-East (NE) Region of Nigeria by establishing a sub-office in Maiduguri. The sub-office will serve as the centre of operations for programming which will include a Regional Stabilization Facility, a Disengagement, Disassociation, Reconciliation and Reintegration (DDRR) and Recovery and Resilience programme. The Sub-Office (SO) for North East (NE) Region of Nigeria has been operational since 2017 and establishes an Operations Service Centre to support management and operations functions related to the effective delivery of programmatic results in anticipation of launch of new programmes, such as Nigerian Window of the Stabilization Facility in NE Region.

Under the direct supervision of CIMIC Specialist and in close collaboration with Senior Management of the Sub-office and UNDP Nigeria, the Human Rights Specialist is responsible for effective mainstreaming of HRBA in UNDP’s Stabilisation Facility interventions for the promotion and protection of human rights and gender mainstreaming. The Human Rights Specialist promotes a collaborative, client-oriented approach consistent with UNDP policies, rules and regulations. The Human Rights Specialist works in close collaboration with programme and project teams in the CO, the Sub Office and with UNDP HQs staff and Government and non-government partners ensuring successful implementation of UNDP’s human rights interventions.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance and direct supervision of Conflict & Political Economy Analyst in close collaboration with the respective project teams in NE Sub-Office, the Human Rights Specialist will perform following functions:

Programme Development and Management;

Technical support in integration of human rights strategies into programming; and

Advocacy support and facilitation of knowledge building and management.

Programme Development and Management:

Ensure substantive contribution to the analysis and research of the human rights situation, as well as the analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the North-East Nigeria from a human rights perspective and prepare substantive inputs to the UNDP’s Stabilisation Facility programme planning;

Provide substantive input on human rights to new policy developments and strategies through analyzing policy papers, strategy documents, national/ regional plans and development frameworks, and prepare briefs and inputs for policy dialogue and technical assistance coordination on human rights;

Support the design and formulation of the Stabilisation Facility programme initiatives translating UNDP’s mandate, policies, tools and strategies into local interventions and ensuring substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful human rights- and gender-based approaches;

Participate in and contribute to the work of Protection Sector, Human Rights/SGBV Working group and/or networks established in North-East Nigeria;

Technical support in integration of human rights strategies into programming:

Provide leadership and support the Sub Office and the country office team to integrate human rights and rights-based approach principles into ongoing and envisaged projects;

Provide advice and guidance for the implementation of the Country Strategy by strengthening the human rights-based approach in programming and implementation;

Ensure, advice and guide integration of gender and human rights perspectives and attention to specific inclusion issues within all assigned activities;

Support the translation of UNDP’s interventions on relevant root causes of compound discrimination into longer-term programming to protect development gains;

Analyze degree of implementation by regional government of recommendations made by UN treaty bodies, Special rights issues/events and assess their impact on the human rights situation, provide recommendation to the management related to its mandate implementation;

Collect and analyze human rights monitoring data and indicators, including gender-specific data and indicators at the sub-national level;

Facilitate organization of the project events, studies and the other activities by providing leadership and substantive guidance on human rights, prevention and elimination of a compound discrimination;

Advocacy support and facilitation of knowledge building and management:

Manage the establishment of advocacy networks at state level and linkages to national and international networks on human rights;

Proactively and substantively support and implement relevant, high-impact advocacy activities and campaigns with key partners;

Ensure awareness about current and emerging human rights trends by analyzing programme, projects, strategies, approaches and ongoing experience for lessons learned, best practices, and share with management for use in knowledge sharing and planning future strategies;

Contribute to the articles and social media materials on the project activities as well as the thematic materials about human rights;

The key results have an impact on the overall CO efficiency in delivering the Stabilisation Facility in North-East Nigeria through the promotion and protection of human rights and mainstreaming of HRBA in UNDP’s programming.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

Master's Degree or equivalent in Human Rights, Law, Gender Studies and Social Sciences or related field.

Experience:

A minimum five (5) years (with Masters’ degree (or equivalent) of relevant progressively responsible experience at the national and/or international level in human rights, rule of law, gender equality or other related fields;

Strong experience with implementing human rights projects and initiatives. Experience in advocacy for the promotion and protection of human rights is an asset;

Experience in establishing coordination and/or inter-relationships among international organization and national governments on human rights is an advantage;

Experience in post conflict environment is a strong advantage;

Experience of working with relevant stakeholders from the governmental and non- governmental institutions involved into human rights issues at the national and sub- national levels;

Fluency in spoken and written English is a requirement. The ability to communicate effectively in French is an asset.

Competencies
Core Values/ Core Competencies:

Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UNDP in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity: Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Demonstrated development/programming skills particularly those that are pertinent to UNDP strategic priorities on gender issues and women’s human rights;

Ability to lead implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes;

Ability to develop strategies, plans, methodologies and tools for effective implementation of the human rights- based approach;

Good knowledge of Results Based Management and HRB principles and approaches;

Ability to establish and maintain broad strategic networks and partnerships with UN agencies and other partners to promote partnership and build alliances to advance organizational interests and competencies;

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises potential applicants for all professional level posts that, in most cases, they either have to relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa or have made a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any such application.

Note

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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